Anita Ogona
The Minister of the Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said backing Governor Siminalayi Fubara was a mistake he would correct at the appropriate time.
The FCT Minister insisted he made mistakes in his judgement of Fubara and asked the people of the LGA and political family to forgive him.
He said at the appropriate time they would correct the mistake, insisting that he would continue to make his detractors angry so they would keep making mistakes.
Wike said, ”I want to say this clearly: in life, we have made a mistake. I have made a mistake. I own it up, and I say God forgives me. I have told all of you to forgive me. But we will correct it at the appropriate time. I am a human, I am bound to make a mistake. So forgive me for making a wrong judgement. So nobody should kill.”.
He also responded to some developments and actions from the camp of Rivers Governor Siminalayi Fubara regarding the ongoing political crisis in the state.
Wike spoke on Saturday at the grand civic reception held at Ogu-Bolo in honour of Chief George Thompson Sekibo to celebrate his 20 years of service at the National and 36 years of his life in public service.
The former Rivers Governor told Fubara’s camp that no injunctions obtained at 2am or 4am would stop the law and due process from taking their course in the state. “If they like, they can go to anybody by 2am or 4am to get an injunction. The law will take its course. We must follow due process,” Wike said.
Reacting to Fubara’s remarks that he would not worship anybody, Wike said he had never asked anybody to worship him.
He said: “It is not easy to be a public officer, and the people decide to honour you. Let me thank the Ogu council of chiefs and the entire community who insisted that their son should be honoured.
“You have refused politics to divide you. It shows that you have the interests of your community in mind. I came because I respect people who appreciate what God has used people to do for them.
“God uses people to help others. So when you have been helped, you appreciate it. God will know you have appreciated him. Nobody can worship a man. All of us believe that it is only God we will worship.
“As politicians, we appreciate people who have helped us. When I came to ask you to support me, you supported me. Did I worship you? Did I ask you to worship me. If you had not supported me, I would not have been where I am. Did you tell me to worship you? So where does the issue of worship come from?”
Most political associates of Wike, such as Senator Magnus Abe; Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku; NDDC Director, Finance and Administration, Boma Iyayi, House of Assembly members, local government chairmen, senators and others, attended the event
Wike told the lawmakers not to be afraid, saying nobody would remove them as assembly members.
“Don’t be afraid that nobody will remove you as a lawmaker. Most of you don’t understand. This is our work. Our business is to make them afraid. That is what I am doing. We will make them angry every day, and they will continue to make mistakes.”.
The former Governor said he would continue to maintain peace in the state and called on his supporters to pursue peace.
He said: “So don’t worry yourselves. We won’t give money to anybody to go and buy arms to kill anybody. I have maintained peace and I want to beg all you to continue to maintain peace. Nobody will tell me that I can’t live in my house or go to my house. But all of you should maintain the peace. Follow law and the legal process. We will get to the end
“As you see me, I stand straight. I think so. I came with senator Magnus Abe. I work with people who have brains. On politics, when people with brains agree, they disagree. Those who don’t know what to do but said they would bring me down—who born them? They are nowhere. When you are in charge, you are in charge.
“Everything will calm down. All these people running around, they would come down. Boma worked for his appointment, he showed loyalty and commitment and that is why God placed him there. Don’t worry.
“Let me also advise you: forget about how they abuse us. You must be alive for people to abuse you. If you are dead, will they abuse you? At the appropriate time, when the results will be announced, we will know who is who. We have defeated them several times.
“Some of them ran to Abuja but when I went to Abuja, they ran back here. Have you not seen the way Abuja is moving? No amount of propaganda can help you. Ogu people have shown loyalty and I want to thank you”.
Reflecting on his political journey, Wike said: “In 2014 to 2015, we didn’t have anybody. I came here and you said you would work for it and you worked for it. We had nobody in government. Did we not win? What are you afraid of?
“While in government, I had a problem, I had a federal government that was hostile to me, Did we not succeed? They are giving excuses. If you know me,. When somebody cannot do something, say you cannot do it.
“At the appropriate time, people will speak of the projects in the state. They will tell you who did what. It is not people who come now and claim what they didn’t do. Ogu continue to support your people, your politicians have done well. Sekibo has done well.
“Don’t mind these buccaneers, I know how to handle them. Leave them for me.. they have been my children. I will continue to handle them. Let’s work together”.
The former governor added: ” It is not easy to be in power and begin to give excuses. You continue to run away from promises you made to people. Look at all the council chairmen, the assembly members, these were people I spoke to for the interest of all of us.
“They all responded but today somebody said they are nobody. Will you accept that? Assembly people sat down in their various constituencies. You never brought a dime. I never knew you were rich that your father was a managing director of shell before and now you are paying their school fees. It is unfortunate.
“But Ogu people I will never abandon you. There are some chiefs I wanted to recognise as traditional rulers. Their people said no. But I dared it and I did it. Nobody bothered to recognise the traditional rulers from 1999 down to 2014. It was me that came and recognize most of them. I did what I did because it believed it was the right thing to do. It takes he who has the balls to talk.
“Now you said you are making them first class. Who made them second class and third class before you are making him first class? Be grateful to whatever God has given to you. Anywhere you are as a traditional ruler, check your conscience, who lifted you up. They said the list of caretaker committee was released but it was fake. Everything is fake with them”.
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